Remote convenience systems are known in the art. Such remote convenience systems permit remote control of various functions. One type of a remote convenience system is for remotely controlling vehicle functions. Other example types of remote convenience systems include garage door opener systems and entry light activation systems.
Focusing now on the remote convenience vehicle systems, examples of remotely controlled functions include locking and unlocking of one or more vehicle doors. A remote convenience vehicle system that permits remote locking and unlocking functions is commonly referred to as a remote keyless entry system.
Such remote convenience vehicle systems may provide for control of other vehicle functions. For example, a remote vehicle locator function may be provided. The vehicle locator function causes the vehicle horn to emit a horn chirp and/or the headlights of the vehicle to flash “ON”. This allows a person to quickly locate their car within a crowded parking lot.
A known remote convenience vehicle system includes a receiver/controller mounted in an associated vehicle and at least one portable hand-held transmitter located remote from the receiver. The receiver/controller has a memory that stores one or more security codes, each of which is associated with a transmitter that is authorized to cooperate with the receiver/controller mounted in the vehicle. Also, the receiver/controller is operatively connected to one or more vehicle systems that perform the functions that are remotely requested.
Each transmitter is provided with one or more manually actuatable switches. Each switch is associated with a remote control vehicle function to be performed. The transmitter includes circuitry that responds to the actuation of each switch to transmit a message in the form of a signal. The transmitted signal also includes the appropriate security code. When the receiver/controller receives such a signal, it compares the security code portion of the received signal against its stored security code, and, if a match is found, a controller portion of the receiver/controller outputs a signal to the proper system (e.g., the door lock drivers) of the vehicle for causing performance of the requested function.
Portable transmitters of remote convenience systems transmit signals in the ultra-high frequency (“UHF”) portion of the radio frequency (“RF”) spectrum. Specifically, the frequency of the transmitted signals is in the portion of the RF spectrum that is allotted by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) for unlicensed transmission devices. FCC regulations stipulate that such unlicensed devices cannot have a transmitted signal strength that exceeds a stipulated maximum value.
It is often desirable to accomplish remote control performance of certain functions at a longest possible distance. One example of such a function is the remote vehicle locator function. To illustrate such a scenario, consider a shopping mall patron exiting a shopping mall building and being faced with the task of visually locating their car within a vast shopping mall parking lot. It would be beneficial to be able to actuate the remote vehicle locator function from a location near the exit door of the shopping mall, before proceeding into the parking lot.
In the case of long range remote vehicle location, however, it is possible that the vehicle might be beyond visual or audile range of the user. Background noise and visual obstructions may prevent the user from locating the vehicle. It would be desirable to provide a system where the vehicle can determine a path to the user and inform the user of the general direction of the vehicle.